


Time to Kill

by WildClover27 (PrairieFlower)



Category: Garrison's Gorillas
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:34:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21774532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrairieFlower/pseuds/WildClover27
Summary: An evening at the Fox, a mission with consequences, learning the good and the bad.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Any non-canon characters are my own and not for use in other people's stories.

Chapter 1

Terry, pouring ale, looked up at the newcomers. She groaned to herself. It was the cons. Craig was at some two-day meeting in London and she was supposed to be con sitting again. Goniff spotted her and bounced up with a wide grin.

“'Allo, Terry Love,” he bubbled. “We thought we’d come keep you company.”

“Really? After I told you guys to stay put at the mansion.”

Goniff shrugged a shoulder. “We didn’t think you meant it.” He leaned an elbow on the bar with his chin in his hand. “Can we ‘ave a pitcher and glasses, Love?”

“As long as you pay for it,” said Terry resignedly.

She delivered the ale she had poured to a customer farther down the bar. After ringing up the drink, she poured a pitcher of ale. She looked around and saw that Actor had taken her usual seat at the end of the bar. She handed the pitcher to Goniff and three glasses to Chief. The Indian mouthed thanks to her and she couldn’t help but smile back. Shaking her head as they walked over to a booth in the corner that Casino had laid claim to, Terry made her way down the bar to Actor.

“So just what are you doing here?” she asked the con man.

“It was Goniff’s idea. He thought if you were tending bar, Kit would not be here, and it would be safe to visit the establishment.”

“And you didn’t try to stop them?”

“Why would I do that?”

“You’re as bad as they are.”

“I beg your pardon,” said Actor arrogantly.

Terry laughed. “What would you like tonight? Beer, brandy, or cognac?”

“Cognac, of course.”

“Cheap or expensive?”

“Expensive.”

Terry eyed him for a second and went behind the curtain into the back room. In a couple moments she returned with a ten-year-old unopened bottle of Courvoisier and held it out to him for inspection. The Italian’s eyebrows rose.

“How did you acquire that?”

Terry got a snifter and opened the bottle, pouring some in the glass. “We try to keep some quality stuff on hand. Shiv does the buying.”

Actor smiled at her, “And may I buy you a drink?”

“Not while I’m working,” said Terry. “But thank you for the offer.”

She excused herself and went to pour more ale and a few more drinks. Meg Schaeffer entered with a couple girlfriends. She walked up to Terry. Before she could say anything, Terry grinned and said, “Table back in the far right corner.” Meg blushed. Terry grinned. “You drinking beer?” Meg nodded. Terry handed her a glass. “They have a pitcher. Make them pay.”

With a lull, Terry walked back to Actor. He held the snifter out toward her. She let him feed her a sip. “Oooh, smooth. Much better than that stuff at the mansion.”

“I see I will have to add liquor to your education,” said Actor with a grin. 

Terry could not help but grin back at him. She dragged a barstool over and sat so she could see the bar, yet still converse with Actor.

“You have tended bar before.” It was more of a statement than a question.

“Jake used to have a speakeasy on the lower west side.”

“What was the name of the place?” asked Actor curiously.

“Real original. It was Jake’s Place.” She looked narrowly at him. “Please don’t tell me you used to drink there.”

“Hardly. I avoided the place.”

Terry grinned at him. “I know, beneath your dignity.”

“I did tend to frequent higher class establishments.”

“Snob.”

Before he could respond to that, she was off the stool and down the bar. Actor watched her with amusement. He was actually beginning to enjoy her irreverence. She was starting to tease him, but without the sharpness of the cons. It was several minutes before she returned.

She hadn’t been back long when Actor saw her tense. He followed her gaze to the door. Major Percy Schaeffer had just entered.

“Get Meg away from Goniff,” she murmured to Actor.

Terry got off the stool and started down the bar. Schaeffer spotted her and walked up to the middle of the bar. Actor flowed off his stool and was making his way across the room. Terry stopped in front of the British major.

Her voice not exactly oozing friendliness, she asked, “What can I get you, Major?”

“Nothing. I came to see what kind of place my daughter seems to like to frequent,” said the Major with derision.

Terry was keeping a surreptitious eye on the far table. Actor bent over and whispered to Meg. She hurriedly scooted out of the booth and returned to the table with her girlfriends. Actor began making his way back to the bar.

“Well, you’ve seen it Major. If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. You want a drink, let me know.” Terry started back down the bar. Schaeffer followed her. She ignored him and refilled a glass that was handed to her. She took the money and turned her back to put the money in the cash register.

When she glanced around, Actor was at his seat. Schaeffer walked up to the Italian. Terry was becoming annoyed. She walked back to take her seat.

“What is he doing here?” demanded the major.

“I was having a nice quiet drink,” answered Actor haughtily.

“Who gave them permission to come here?” Schaeffer wanted to know.

“I did,” said Terry. “I’m supposed to be watching them and I had to tend bar tonight. I can’t be in two places at once, so I gave them permission to come. This way I can keep an eye on them and work at the same time.”

“We have a stockade they can stay in when you have to work,” said the Major.

Terry sensed Actor was about to intervene. She gave him a swift look telling him to back down. Her left hand was under the bar, finger pushing persistently on the buzzer that went to the basement.

“Excuse me Major, but I don’t find that necessary.”

“Well, I do.”

“Well, seeing as I live with them and I’m in charge when Craig’s gone, I say they don’t go to the stockade.”

Jake appeared at the curtain and leaned against the wall watching to see what was going on. It didn’t take him long to figure it out. Garrison’s superior officer was standing next to one of Garrison’s men and giving Terry a hard time.

“Hey, Terry, how about another round?” came a yell across the room in broad Australian.

Terry started to move away to pour another pitcher of ale for the group at the middle booth. Schaeffer was having none of that.

“I’m talking to you, Miss Garrison!”

“I’m too busy for this, Major. If you’re just coming in here to make trouble, then I suggest you leave.”

One of the Australian Lieutenants saw there was a problem and came up to the bar. He turned back and called to his mates, “Hey, Colonel, there’s a Brit Major here giving our Sheila a hard time.”

Actor just sat back to watch this in amusement. A colonel rose from the booth and started toward the bar. Jake straightened and came forward.

“It’s okay, Colonel,” he called to the Australian. “I’ve got it.” He walked up to Schaeffer. “Major, you’re bothering my staff and my patrons. Get out.”

“And just who do you think you are?” demanded Schaeffer.

“Name’s Jake Bradford. I own this place and I have the right to refuse anyone I want. Now I suggest you leave.”

“What about Garrison’s men?”

Jake looked at Actor and the far table. “They’re just quietly drinking and not bothering anybody. I have no problem with them. Now get out and don’t come back. You come back in here again and I’ll have you arrested.”

Jake backed the major up until the man decided it would be in his best interest to retreat. Terry poured a pitcher of ale and passed it to the Lieutenant. The Australian leaned over the bar and flicked Terry under the chin with his finger. Terry grinned and wrinkled her nose at him. Jake slapped the man on the shoulder with a smile. 

“This one’s on the house, Mate.”

“Good on you, Jake,” grinned the Aussie.

Terry walked back down to her seat at the end of the bar. Jake ambled down. He gave a smug look at Actor, bent around and kissed Terry on the cheek. Terry pointedly ignored him. Jake sent another look at Actor and disappeared in the back.

Actor looked at Terry. “Is that a problem, cara?”

“No,” said Terry wearily. “That one was for your benefit. He does it in front of Craig to annoy him. Craig’s not here, so you get it.”

“What is the purpose?” asked the Italian.

Terry shrugged, “Payback. Thumbing his nose at Craig.”

Actor was silent, sipping his cognac and mulling over what he knew of the situation. Terry watched him. She knew he wouldn’t pry, but he would worry it to death in his mind trying to figure it out. Sometimes she wished there was someone who was not family she could talk about it to, but that wasn’t an option. “Actor, I’m sorry, but it isn’t open for discussion. It’s a family matter. And you really don’t want to get into the middle of it.” He already was in the middle of it, what with Craig’s accusations and innuendos that she was sleeping with the con man. She just hoped it never got back to the Italian. Terry decided it was time to try to get some background out of the con man. “So where in Manhattan were you?”

“I had a suite on Park Avenue overlooking Central Park,” replied Actor offhandedly.

“My, my, conning must have been profitable,” teased Terry.

“Very,” replied Actor.

“So, if you were in New York, how did you wind up in Alcatraz and San Quentin?”

Actor thought about discussing this with Terry. If she was going to live with cons, then she might as well know the system. “I spent the first four months in Attica. The prison system trades convicts when there are problems. I kept to myself. But I was traded when the other prisons needed to remove someone from their facility.”

“Seems to me, if you were not a troublemaker, the prison you were in would not want to get rid of you.”

Actor took a sip of cognac. “I was not privy to how the wardens negotiated in stir.”

Terry wasn’t sure how personal she could get with the con man, but she was still curious. “You didn’t kill anybody. How come you got put in maximum security prisons?”

Actor looked at her. She seemed genuinely interested. There was no sarcasm in her voice as there was from others who had asked that same question. Maybe for that reason, he answered her. “I was considered to be a ‘flight risk’. I could generally talk myself out of any situation. They were afraid I would talk a guard into helping me escape.”

“Couldn’t talk your way past the judge?” she asked.

“Not that one.”

“So, did you know Wheeler?”

Actor looked at her sharply. “Not personally. Just by reputation on the Rock. What do you know about Wheeler?”

“He was the fifth con. He was killed on your first mission, supposedly by Chief.” She held up her hand when he opened his mouth to object. “I don’t want to know, and I don’t care if he did do it or not. That’s just what I heard. Anyway, Craig wanted you bad and got stuck with Wheeler in order to get you.”

Actor’s face remained impassive, even though this was something he had not been aware of. So, Wheeler had not been the Warden’s choice like they all thought.

“How do you know so much about Wheeler?” asked Actor casually.

Terry chewed her left cheek. “You know I have a lot of clearance. I worked at the War Department for my father and two other generals. When Dad started hinting he was thinking of sending me over here, I started digging into this little project.”

“You really were sent here by the War Department?” asked Actor in surprise.

“Of course. How else do you think I could get into the mansion?” Terry looked at him in amusement. “What did you think, that I just wandered over to England and asked Craig if I could stay with him?”

Actor shrugged. “You said you had been sent to spy on us. I wasn’t sure whether to believe you or not.”

“I was sent to spy on you. I send reports in once in awhile.” She did a double take at the look of distrust on Actor’s face. She patted his arm. “Hey, I’m on your side. I’m covering your backsides.” She smiled, “You guys get in so much trouble it takes two of us to keep you from being sent back to stir.”

“Hey, Terry, come here a minute, Love!” It was her friendly Australians again.

“Be right there, Mate!” 

Terry got up and as she walked around the end of the bar, she leaned over and kissed Actor on the cheek. She whispered in his ear, “Don’t get your shorts in a knot, caro. I’m being straight with you.”

The cons stayed until closing. As the evening progressed, the crowd became thinner and Terry had more time to sit and talk with Actor. She found his conversation fascinating. He talked to her about life in Europe during the ‘20s and ‘30s. She managed to pry a few stories from him about some of the major cons he had pulled over the years.

For his part, he found talking with the young woman to be a novelty. She seemed to be genuinely interested in what he had to say. The women Actor had for companions were always more interested in talking about themselves or fashions or the latest gossip. He usually sat and allowed them to talk, not particularly following the conversation, but pretending to have an interest in what they were saying while just listening to the feminine voices. Now he found himself actively conversing with Teresa. There was intelligence about the woman that showed when she commented or asked him questions. And she teased him, gently and affectionately, not with the harshness of others who had made fun of his courtly manner and aristocratic airs. Not that she did not try to poke holes in his aristocratic bubble, but hers were pinholes compared to the fist-sized ones of, say, Casino and men of his nature.

It was closing. Actor got up from his seat. Terry was busy with some of the patrons who stopped to talk on their way out of the bar. He glanced at the quart mason tip jar sitting beside the cash register. It was half full of coins and a couple five pound notes. If that was all she was making, it was little wonder the woman did not have many decent clothes. Actor carefully folded a bill and placed it under the cognac bottle as a tip for Terry. He went back to the others. Goniff was saying goodbye to Meg so the rest of them waited.

Terry picked up the bottle to put it away and saw the money. She set the bottle down and unfolded the bill. It was a hundred dollar bill, American. Terry was stunned. There was no excuse for that large of a tip other than he was feeling sorry for her and wanting to give her money. She hated accepting the gifts of clothing from him, but really had no choice. She did not accept handouts; she earned her money. She folded the bill back up. In embarrassed anger, she went around the bar and stormed up to the Italian. She grabbed his jacket and pulled it open, shoving the bill into his inside pocket.

“How dare you! I will not be insulted by you!”

“I wasn’t trying to be insulting!” he objected.

“Well you did a good job of it!” She turned to the others. “Go on back to the Mansion. I’ve got to close up. I’ll meet you there later.”

She turned on her heel and stalked off.

“Teresa!” called the Italian in confusion.

“Get stuffed, Actor!”

She went back behind the bar and started water in the sink to wash glasses, studiously kept her back to the group.

“What did you do, Man?” asked Chief.

“I just left her a tip for the drinks I had,” said Actor.

“How much did you leave her?” asked Casino.

“A hundred. “

“You jerk! What did you do that for?” spouted Casino.

“I know she doesn’t have much money. She doesn’t seem to make much here. I was just trying to help her.”

“Man, that’s like giving her charity,” said Chief in disgust.

“That’s more than she makes 'ere in a month,” added Goniff.

“I don’t understand the problem?”

Casino shook his head, “You really don’t, do you? Just because you got it and she don’t, don’t mean you have to throw it in her face. The lady’s got pride.”

Late the next morning, Terry was washing the dishes when Actor stepped cautiously into the kitchen and leaned against the counter, looking at her. She ignored him.

“I wish to apologize to you,” said the Italian quietly. “It was never my intention to offend you or insult you.”

Terry still did not look at him. “I believe you. You obviously have ‘funds’ from before your incarceration. How would you feel if suddenly those funds were gone, and somebody tried to hand you money because they felt sorry for you?”

There was a brief silence. “I have been there. It is why I learned the confidence business.”

Now Terry looked at him. The eyes that looked back at her told her this wasn’t a con on his part. She said nothing, going back to the dishes.

“May I ask you something personal?” requested Actor.

“You can ask. I might not give you an answer.”

“I thought your family had money. You own a ranch. You have spent time in your youth in Europe. What happened?”

“The depression and the war,” said Terry. “The demand for horses went down. We still have the ranch. We let all the hired help go. That’s why I went to Washington and not back to the ranch. One less mouth to feed.”

Actor chewed on that awhile. “You allow me to buy you clothes.”

“It’s necessary for working with you.” Terry turned back to him. “That last gown you bought me . . . I would have had to sell two horses to pay for that gown. Craig couldn’t afford it on what he gets paid and the army sure wouldn’t pay for it.”

“You told me about the parties in Washington with your father. Surely you had clothes for that.”

Terry nodded. “Dad bought me a couple evening gowns. Not of the quality of the one you bought me. I sold them when I was coming here. I didn’t know I was going to be playing your mistress to the Germans. I sold them so I would have money when I got here. I can’t live off of Craig. He’s helping pay for the flat as it is. I’d give the flat up, but he really does not want me living here.”

Actor puzzled it out for a moment. “What about the jewelry from the last couple missions? There should be quite a bit of money in that.”

“Yes, there probably is. But how do I get it?”

“Where is the jewelry?”

“In the safe deposit box in Brandonshire.”

Actor’s eyebrows went up and he sighed. “Would you allow me . . . allow us . . . to help you liquidate that? It never occurred to us that you would not know how to do that. It is common for all of us.”

“How?”

“Goniff!” called the Italian.

Terry wiped her hands on a towel and followed Actor into the common room. Goniff was up and heading in their direction. “What’s up, Mate?”

“Teresa needs a fence.”

Terry looked at him skeptically.

Goniff was looking at the girl. “Blimey, we never thought about that. You don’t know how to fence do you?”

“Uh, no.”

The Englishman grinned broadly. “Oh, have I got a fence for you.”


	2. Chapter 2

Terry entered the mansion and looked at the faces of the three men in the common room. She gave a wry smile.

“Thought you had to work tonight, Babe?” said Casino, going back to move cards on his ever-present solitaire game.

“Craig called me from London,” she replied, while hanging her jacket on the coat tree by the door. “We’re on for tonight.”

“Blimey, again?” grumbled Goniff.

“Where to this time?” asked Chief tiredly.

“Don’t know,” she replied. “Craig just told me to be here by four.” She pointed to the empty chair in the corner. “Is he here or out chasing skirts.”

“Really, Teresa,” the con man’s voice objected from the library.

That evoked chuckles from the rest of the group. Actor appeared at the door to the library, pipe between his teeth, open book in his hand. Never one to hold a grudge, Terry grinned at him. She received a raised eyebrow in return.

“Okay, what do you guys want for dinner before we go?” Terry asked.

“Pork chops!” three voices replied in unison.

“Whatever is easiest for you, Teresa,” added Actor magnanimously.

Terry shook her head and headed for the kitchen. “I do cook other things besides pork chops.”

Goniff answered, “Right Love, but yer pork chops are bloody ‘eaven.”

Terry grinned widely. “Okay, pork chops. Thank you, Goniff.”

She had the pork chops ready for the fry pan and the potatoes and green beans keeping warm, by the time Garrison returned. Terry emerged from the kitchen and eyed the stony expression on her brother’s face. Oh, this one must be a doozy, she thought.

“Do I have time to cook after we brief, or you want to brief me on the way over?” she asked.

“No,” said Garrison. “You’ll have time after.”

The resignation in the officer’s voice had the cons exchanging looks. They all moved reluctantly into Garrison’s office. Craig placed the briefcase on the conference table and unlocked the handcuff. Opening it up, he removed some papers, photos and a map, spreading them out on the tabletop.

Chief stepped up to Garrison’s left. Casino and Goniff went around to the opposite side of the table. Actor went up to Craig’s right, Terry beside him. The Italian calmly smoked his pipe with his left hand and rested his right wrist on Terry’s shoulder.

Craig straightened and looked around at them. “We are going into France tonight by sub. There’s a front over the area and they don’t want to send a plane in.”

“That’s a switch,” said Casino sarcastically. “They always want us to jump in the worst weather they can find.”

“Yeah, well this isn’t going to be a pleasant ride either,” said Garrison. “This is Georg Krantz.” He passed around a photo of a dark haired, thin man in his forties.

“German physicist, wunderkind,” inserted Actor. “He has been passing information on their new bomb to the Allies.”

“Right,” said Garrison. “Well things are getting hot and he wants out. We want him to bring his knowledge to our side. He’s willing, but only if we remove him and his family together.”

“Family?” asked Chief dubiously.

“Krantz, his wife and their five-year-old son,” replied the lieutenant. He laid two more pictures on the table.

“Great, a kid,” said Casino in disgust. “Kids are nothin’ but trouble.”

“You ought to know, Casino,” teased Terry. “You were one.”

“Terry . . .” warned Craig.

“Sorry, Brother,” she said. “Please do continue.”

Actor flicked her ear with his fingers. She threw a mock dirty look at the con man. Craig spread the map of France out on the table. He pointed to a small town about 100 miles inland from the coast.

“This is where we’re going. The Germans have a research facility hidden inside an old textile factory.”

“We’re goin’ to break in there?” asked Goniff.

“No,” replied Garrison. “There is going to be a party tomorrow night in honor of a visiting Field Marshall Huber. Krantz and his wife, Helga, will be attending this party. Actor, you and Terry will be attending as a general, just returning from North Africa, and your girlfriend from Berlin. Actor, you received a leg injury and will be walking with a cane.” Craig looked at his second questioningly, “you ever been to North Africa?”

Actor smiled smugly with obviously lecherous memories, “Ah, yes, Cairo . . . Casablanca . . .”

There were groans around the table.

“Uh, Craig? What do I have to know about North Africa? The only thing I know is you got yourself blown up there . . . twice.”

“And decorated twice for bravery,” added Actor casually.

Terry looked up at him with a frown.

“I have read his dossier,” explained Actor.

“You don’t have to know anything,” Craig replied to his sister while ignoring the Italian. “You wouldn’t have accompanied him there.” He returned to the business at hand. “Actor and Terry will make contact with Krantz and his wife and get them out of the party and to the safe house. Casino will be their driver. Chief, Goniff and I will pay a visit to the flat where the nanny will be watching the boy, Eric. Goniff will get us into the flat through a window into the boy’s bedroom and we will get him out the same way.”

“We’re splittin’ up?” demanded Chief.

Craig nodded.

“Since when?” asked Terry, fully aware of her brother’s aversion to splitting the group up.

“Since a new colonel came on board. These are his orders. We’ll meet back at the safe house and then rendezvous with the sub again at 4 a.m.”

“When are we leaving here?” asked Terry.

“Eight.”

“I’m going to go cook,” she said. She peered around Actor at her brother. “When we’re on the sub I want you two to talk to me about Berlin.” She pointed at Craig. “I know you were there when we were kids.” She then cocked a thumb at Actor, “And he’s been everywhere. The only place in Germany Zia took me was Dusseldorf for some festival with one of her – uh – boyfriends.”

Craig gave her a puzzled look. “How old were you?”

“Twelve,” she replied. She knew what he was thinking. “It was before she got involved with that fusto who ran out on her.”

Craig chuckled at her reference to the handsome man their aunt had been madly in love with, and so had Terry at age thirteen. 

Actor shook his head. “You really should speak proper Italian,” he admonished Terry over her use of slang.

Terry gave him a wicked grin. “I don’t remember much about him now, but trust me, Sweetheart, he could have given you a run for your money.”

“Terry, go cook!” Craig tried to avert a flare-up between his sister and his second.


	3. Chapter 3

Much later that evening, Garrison, Actor and Terry sat sipping real coffee in the deserted officer’s mess on the British sub. Terry sat across the table from the two men, eyes moving back and forth between them. The men were taking turns giving her a quick, intense, rundown on Berlin. Craig told her about officers, strategic buildings, and events over the past couple years. Actor told her about the elite families, famous museums, restaurants and locations.

At the mention of one museum, Terry shot back the name of a necklace, the year, and the original owner. Actor gave her a nod of approval.

“You have been studying,” he said.

“I’m on Great Jewel Collections of the World, Volume 2,” she smiled smugly. 

Actor nodded. “I am sure that particular necklace has joined Goering’s collection by now.”

Terry grinned at the renowned jewel thief. “Say, can we heist his collection after the war, caro?”

“Ter-ry . . .” warned her brother.

“Never mind. Go on, Craig.” 

GGGGG

A resistance contact was waiting for them when they arrived in a coastal town in France. They were given two vehicles, uniforms for Garrison and the other men, and papers for all of them. Terry had brought the evening gown with her. The men changed into their uniforms and Terry put on a skirt and blouse under a heavy fur overcoat at the safe house. It was rainy and the roads were a little icy which slowed their travel. 

They reached their destination town and the next safe house just before dawn. This safe house was a second floor flat in the house of a baker, who also was a member of the resistance. Craig and Actor stayed awake for a time while the others got some sleep.  
Terry woke up at noon and came out into the living room. Craig decided to take her place on the bed in one of the two bedrooms. He told his sister to wake him in a couple hours. She nodded.

Actor was sitting on the window ledge, watching the activity on the street. Terry stepped up beside him slipping her arm under his and around his back. His left hand naturally cupped her waist above her left hip. She leaned into him, gazing out the window. He turned his head to look at her. With no one awake in the room and Garrison in the other bedroom, he dropped a light kiss on her forehead. She was getting into the role again.

“Anything happening?” she asked quietly.

Actor shook his head. “No, nothing unusual.”

“I can watch for awhile,” Terry said. “Why don’t you catch a couple hours sleep too? If anything looks strange, I’ll wake you up.”

The corner of the con man’s mouth turned up into an amused smile. She so wanted to do her part. She did not realize that by being there for them at the estate when they returned from a mission was more than enough for them all. It would not hurt to allow her to watch out the window. He and Garrison both felt they were fairly safe here. He gave her a little squeeze and slipped off the ledge.

“If I am not awake by the time you go to get the Lieutenant up, wake me also,” he requested.

Terry nodded and took his place on the ledge. She watched him settle on the sofa. He was so tall his ankles rested on the far arm while his head rested on the near arm. In two seconds, he was asleep. She wondered how he could do that. Craig could just turn it on and off also. She turned her attention to the cobbled road in front of the bakery. The rain had stopped, and the ice had melted. An occasional German soldier passed by, but mostly it was French peasants going to and fro on their daily business.  
She let the men sleep until three. Chief and Goniff, both sprawled in chairs, were still asleep. Terry silently moved over beside Actor. She took a couple seconds to study the man, wondering what his life must have been like up to now. When he was awake, he tended to look older than his 39 years. Asleep the creases in his forehead and around his eyes softened and he looked ten years younger. She reached a hand down lightly on his shoulder, ready to jump back if he swung on awakening like her brother   
sometimes did.

“Actor?” she whispered.

His eyelids fluttered briefly and opened to look up at her alertly. He stifled a yawn and sat up.

“I would have let you sleep, but you said to wake you,” she semi-apologized.

“Thank you, cara,” he said. Looking at his watch he frowned. “You let me sleep longer than you were supposed to.”

“There wasn’t anything happening,” she shrugged it off. “I’ll go get Craig up.”

Casino came out of the other bedroom when Garrison came out of his. This woke Chief and Goniff up. They went over the plans for that night for the twentieth time at least. After the bakery closed, the baker brought them two fresh loaves of bread, some cheese and sausage, along with two bottles of red wine. At seven, they started to get ready.

Terry was getting good at putting the makeup on, but she allowed Actor to fix her hair. Garrison watched the process and observed the change in his sister’s expression and attitude as she became more of the sophisticated mistress. Craig watched the elegant woman resting comfortably under the con man’s capable hands. Designer gown, above the elbow white gloves, jewels, and styled hair; and she fit into it all like a second skin. In the past few months, under Actor’s tutelage, the tomboy girl in jeans and cowboy boots he knew was being replaced by this beautiful lady. It wasn’t just the outward appearance. The dancing, the parties, the close association with the aristocratic Italian were changing her inner makeup. It made him wonder if, by the end of this war that did not have an end in sight yet, she would be able to return to her previous life of isolation on the ranch. He wasn’t at all sure he would be able to either. The adrenalin rush from pulling off a difficult con, the planning and the conniving were much more satisfying than plodding along on a horse, eating dust behind a bunch of idiotic cantankerous cows. But becoming a confidence man wasn’t something he could do for money and pleasure. No, he was career Army, even though it was looking less appealing to him. He shook off this train of thought and went back to reviewing the details of their plans.

Garrison was not comfortable when the group split up. He did not like having the mission plans dictated to them, especially by someone who had probably never been in a war zone. He and Actor almost always worked the con out together. And even if it didn’t start that way, it usually ended that way. Craig had come to respect the older man’s knowledge and capabilities. Terry wasn’t the only one learning from him. As if sensing his turmoil, Actor looked up at Garrison over the top of Teresa’s head. The set of the con man’s mouth and the look in his eyes told the young officer Actor was of the same mind about this mission. There was nothing to be done about it, so one car went in one direction and the other car in another.

GGGGG

Terry stood beside her general and surveyed the gathering. There was a good mix of high- ranking Nazi officers, some of the French elite who were no better than collaborators, and a scattering of women who were obviously escorts or mistresses. They had been there for an hour and there was still no sign of Krantz or his wife. Terry had a feeling something was very wrong here. Though Actor looked bored and disinterested, she could feel a bit of tension in the arm under her hand. He rested heavily on his cane and the girl was impressed that he appeared to have a real injury, especially when he walked.

The field marshal had gravitated over to the buffet table. Terry eyed the man who was probably in his early sixties, gray, but still held himself erect with that arrogance that a field marshal would have. She squeezed Actor’s arm lightly to get his attention.

“Darling, you look thirsty,” she said in German. “I will go get us both another glass of the fine punch.”

Actor cast a glance at her. “Liebchen, that is not necessary.” He tried to dissuade her from the plan he knew she had just formed. He wasn’t at all sure she was ready yet to pull that kind of a con off.

“I do not want you to have to walk that far on your poor injured leg,” said Terry. She smiled at him and proceeded to walk away.

There was nothing he could do to stop her. He kept a seemingly unconcerned eye on the woman. Terry approached the table a few feet down from the Field Marshal. She cast surreptitious glances at the man, showing interest in him. He took a few steps closer to her. She held her plate, perusing the offerings.

“May I suggest the liver pate?” Huber spoke in German with a wolfish smile.

“Thank you, Herr Feld Marshal,” she responded with an enticing smile of her own.

“May I serve you?” he asked, taking a step closer.

“That is so kind of you, sir,” she replied. As he placed some of the pate and cocktail bread on her plate, she continued, “It is a lovely party, is it not?”

“Very nice,” the man replied. “I am afraid I have not been introduced to you.”

“Marta Weber,” smiled Terry. “I am with General Alta. He has just recently returned for Libya. He was injured and has come back to recuperate.”

Huber glanced over at Actor and nodded. Actor smiled and returned the nod but there was an air of possessiveness in the look the man gave to the young woman.

“Tell me, Herr Feld Marshal,” began Terry to get his attention back to her. “Have you just arrived from Berlin?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“Ah, I am from Potsdamer Platz,” she said.

He smiled at her, “A lovely area. Wonderful nightlife. I am from Alexanderplatz.”

“Also, a lovely area with a wonderful nightlife,” smiled Terry. “Tell me, Herr Feld Marshal, do you perhaps know the Erlichs? Johannes and Frieda?”

Huber frowned, “I am afraid not.”

“Oh, they probably do not move in your circle, I am sure.” Terry looked shyly at the man. “I wonder, sir, if you might help me.”

“And what is it I can help you with?” The message was very subtle. 

Not what you want to help me with thought Terry. “Frieda asked me to look up a friend of hers whose husband is working here now. I am afraid I do not know what she looks like. I am sure you must have met most everyone here.”

“What is her name?” 

Terry fluttered her fingers. “Oh, dear . . .Helga . . . I believe. Helga . . .,” she pretended to be searching her mind. “Krantz. I think the last name is Krantz. I do not remember what her husband’s first name is.” She gave him an embarrassed look.

“Georg?” asked Huber with interest.

“That might be it,” said Terry. “I have never met them. Frau Erlich said she went to school with Frau Krantz. She has not heard from her since she left Berlin.”

“She is not here. And you would do well, my dear, not to show any association with the Krantz family.” His tone became more formal.

Terry gave him a look of apprehension. “As I have said, I do not know these people. Are they bad people?”

“Georg Krantz has been spying for the English.”

Terry gasp. “Oh! How horrible. May I tell Frieda. She will be so shocked. The Erlichs are strong supporters of our Fuehrer.”

“It is of no consequence,” assured Huber. “The Krantz’s will be executed before you could possibly return to Berlin.” He smiled at her again. “May I get you some punch?”

“That would be very nice, Sir,” smiled Terry. “I came to get a glass for myself and Dieter. He still tires so easily. Would you like to meet him?”

Huber glanced in Actor’s direction. “I believe we met earlier. He was injured in Tripoli?”

“I believe so,” said Terry. “He could never tell me where he was until he returned. I am afraid I do not know much about Afrika.”

“Well. It is not necessary that you should, My Dear.” The field marshal decided he was not going to get this young woman away from the general, so he began casting glances around, looking for more eligible companionship. He handed the punch glasses to ‘Marta’ and gave a slight formal bow. “It has been a pleasure,” he said.

“It has been a pleasure to meet you also, Herr Feld Marshal.” 

He turned away, and Terry slowly and calmly made her way back to Actor. The smile on her face did not reach her eyes. Terry waited until the space around them had cleared of people before speaking, still in German.

“Look tired, Dear. We have to get out of here. Krantz has been picked up and is to be executed.”

“Wonderful,” whispered Actor through a tired smile. He wondered what kind of trouble the Warden was in.

Terry fussed over her general and they left the party fifteen minutes later. Out in the car, Casino was getting worried, even more so when he saw Terry and Actor without Herr and Frau Krantz. The safecracker was out of the car and holding the door for the general and his girlfriend. Hurrying around to the driver’s side, he slid behind the wheel and started the big engine.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Krantz and his family were picked up. They are probably at Gestapo Headquarters,” said Actor in disgust.

“The kid too? They got the kid?” demanded Casino, allowing the natural protectiveness he had for children to show.

“It sounds like it. We won’t know that until we see the Warden,” said Actor. “He may have been able to get the child out.”

“I knew something was gonna go wrong,” complained Casino as he wound through the deserted street of the town. Satisfied he didn’t have a tail, the safecracker drove back to the safehouse.


	4. Chapter 4

The staff car eased slowly down the deserted street. Chief pulled over to the curb three houses from their target. They sat there for fifteen minutes, watching. There were no other cars and no people out.

“It don’t feel right, Warden,” said Chief.

Craig shook his head. “We have to try. Drop us off in the alley.”

Chief started the car up and drove to the end of the block and turned, turning again at the alley. He barely brought the vehicle to a stop as Garrison and Goniff got out. Chief continued on and parked on the front street in the same spot. It afforded him a view of the house and the streets.

Garrison and Goniff kept to the shadows and along the wall of the building until they reached the window that belonged to the boy’s bedroom. Goniff carefully and skillfully got around the lock. There were no wires for an alarm. The little second-story man silently went in first. Garrison climbed in after him. Craig came to an abrupt halt with his foot partially suspended. He had stepped on something soft and bulky. His torch came on and both men froze. The thing under Garrison’s foot was part of a teddy bear. The room had been trashed. The drawers and armoire were open with clothing and toys strewn all over. The linens were hanging off the end of the empty bed.

The two men exchanged a look. They listened but could hear no noise in the house. Garrison, torch in one hand, gun in the other, slipped into the hall. Goniff moved to check the back of the house. Craig went into the front room. It too was trashed. The two met in the hall. Goniff shook his head. Garrison jerked his head toward the boy’s room. They went back out the window and keeping to cover made a crouching run to the front corner of the house. Chief spotted them, started the car and pulled forward at a crawl. The two men jumped in and he took off.

“What happened?” asked Chief.

“Nobody there. Place was torn up,” said Garrison.

“You think Actor, Terry and Casino are in trouble?”

“Actor can talk ‘is way out of anything,” said Goniff confidently.

Craig refrained from responding to that. If Actor could talk his way out of anything he would not have been in prison. And the con man had the liability of having Terry with him; an amateur.

“Where to, Warden?” asked Chief. He didn’t know if the man would want to drive by the party.

“Back to the safe house,” said Garrison. “We’ll give them some more time.”

GGGGG

An hour went by with no sign of the other three. Of course, they weren’t expected back for another couple hours. Garrison was pacing and Goniff was chewing a thumbnail in the dark. They had the lights off so Chief could have the blackout drapes pulled back enough to watch the street.

Another half hour later, Chief said, “Car comin’.”

They waited. Garrison was tense. Was it his three or Gestapo?

“It’s them,” confirmed Chief by the tall figure of Actor, the woman who would be Terry, and the stockier Casino. “Just the three of them, nobody else.”

“Well that’s a bleedin’ surprise,” said Goniff sarcastically.

Chief made sure the drape covered the window completely and left the lamp turned down. The three were facing the door when the other half of their group entered. With the wick turned up on the lamp, Actor and Garrison exchanged looks.  
“I trust you had no better luck than we did, Lieutenant,” said Actor as a statement, not a question.

Craig shook his head. “Place has been trashed. They’re gone.” 

“Teresa will tell you.” At her startled look the con man continued, “She is the one who got the information from the field marshal.”

Garrison shot a sharp look at his sister.

“Their cover was blown. They were picked up. The field marshal said they would be dead before I could even get back to Berlin.”

“Did he say where they were being held?” asked Craig.

Terry shook her head. “I couldn’t exactly ask.”

“Well that takes care of that,” said Casino. “I say we get outta here and back to that sub before somebody finds us.”

“We’re not finished,” said Craig.

“Aw, Warden, come on!” objected the safecracker. “Where yuh gonna look for ‘em? Berlin?”

“If we have to!” shot back Craig. He turned back to his sister. “You’re sure the field marshal said they would be dead, not they already are dead.”

“As of an hour ago, they were still alive . . . somewhere,” confirmed Terry.

Craig ran his hand through his hair, thinking. “I’m going down and talk to Gaston. See if the resistance can find out where they’ve been taken.” He let himself out into the hall.

“He just don’t know when to quit,” grumbled Casino.

“Dog with a bone,” smiled Terry grimly. “That’s my brother.”

Casino stepped up to the table and uncorked a leftover half bottle of wine. He took a good drink out of it before handing it to Goniff. Terry touched Actor’s arm and motioned the con man to follow her. She led him over to the far corner away from the others. He watched her with a frown. 

In a resigned tone, Terry said, “You were very quiet in the car. Craig’s not here. I would appreciate it if you would yell at me now and not wait for him to get back.”

Actor shook his head, “I was concerned when you made that move with the field marshal. You handled it very well, cara. I have no complaints.” Terry’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “What?” he continued. “You do not think you handled it well?”

“I thought I handled it quite well,” said Terry. “I’m not used to you thinking I handled it well. Most of the time, I think you are just conning Craig.”

The corner of Actor’s mouth turned up. “I am learning what your capabilities are and how much I can trust you.”

“Thank you, Actor,” said Terry. “But one of us being cautious is still a good thing.”

“Until you gain more confidence,” he acceded. 

It was dawn when Garrison returned. He surveyed the group in the front room. Apparently, nobody had taken advantage of the two beds for sleeping. Actor was watching him from the table. The Italian was still wearing the dress pants and the white dress shirt, sleeves rolled up his forearms, collar open. His pistol was within reach on the table. Casino and Chief were sprawled in chairs. Casino was still asleep. Chief’s dark eyes were the only things moving on the man. Terry, back in pants and shirt, was curled up on the sofa, her head on Goniff’s knee, both asleep.

Craig was tired. Not so much a physical tiredness as a mental one. Nothing seemed to be going right. He walked around to the opposite side of the table from Actor. As he passed the sofa, he kicked his sister lightly on the leg. She bolted upright. Goniff flew awake at her sudden movement. Casino awakened on instinct. They all gathered around the table.

Craig looked around at them all. “The Gestapo has a headquarters, more like a small prison camp, about fifty miles from here. That’s where they have been taken.”

“And we’re goin’ after them,” said Casino with unhappy resignation.

“Yes, we are,” confirmed Garrison. The resistance has another safe house ready for us. It’s a farmhouse about five miles from the compound.”

“So when are we leavin’?” asked Chief.

“Now,” said Garrison. 

Craig steeled himself. He knew there was about to be a fight. He glanced up and caught Actor watching him. They traded looks.

“Terry, you’re staying here,” said Craig. “We’ll pick you up on the way back.”

Terry looked at her brother with narrowed eyes. “No, I am not.” Her voice was steely. 

“It’s too dangerous,” said Craig. “And it’s not up for discussion.”

“You’re right,” she said firmly, “it’s not up for discussion. I’m going. We don’t split the team up and whether you like it or not, I’m part of the team.”

“I can’t take you into that compound,” objected Garrison angrily.

“You are not leaving me alone here!” said Terry adamantly.

“You are not going with us!” countered Actor. “It is too dangerous.”

“And staying here alone isn’t?”

“Terry, I cannot explain taking you into Gestapo headquarters!” Craig was just as adamant.

“So, come up with something.” She glared in frustration at her brother. “What is it? ‘We don’t split the group up’ is only for you and them? I just get tossed in a corner somewhere?”

“Teresa, be reasonable,” cajoled Actor. “He is trying to protect you.”

“I’m going. You have fifty miles to come up with a plan,” said Terry. The three were faced off, the girl glaring at the two men. “You leave me behind, I’ll follow,” she said firmly.

Garrison knew his sister well enough to be assured she would.

“If we take her along, Warden,” started Casino, “how we gonna explain her if we get stopped on the road?”

“Easy,” said Terry before her brother could open his mouth. “The general is wounded. I’m his private nurse.”

There was silence. Craig was trying to formulate an answer and wasn’t coming up with one. Actor and Teresa exchanged stony looks.

“That will work to get us there, but not to get into Gestapo headquarters,” said the Italian, his displeasure evident in this voice.

“So, we cross that bridge when we get to it,” said Terry. “You are not leaving me behind.” She turned back to Craig. “You know what I’m capable of, Brother.”

Craig sighed. He remembered the summer she was fourteen. She had gone out the window at night, taken two of her mounts and a pack horse, and disappeared up into the high country of the national park behind their ranch. They could not find her. She came back home a month later, having wandered up into the Rockies of Canada. He had no doubt in his mind she could and would follow them.

“Everybody get ready,” said Garrison. “We’re leaving now.”

The drive was not a pleasant one. Actor was in one corner of the back seat, dressed formally, right leg outstretched with the cane resting alongside of it. Garrison was in the other corner of the backseat, in uniform, and watching the road and surroundings warily. Terry was squashed between the two men, wearing the clothes she had driven in with. She felt like a prisoner, especially since neither of the two was speaking to her.

“I am learning what your capabilities are and how much I can trust you.”

Oh yeah, Actor trusted her all right. Not one bit. Capabilities? Apparently, she didn’t have any. Terry hated to be conned. And it looked like Actor had conned her good. She had actually thought she had won his approval. God, sometimes she was an idiot. Craig was another story. She was used to this from him. They had fought like cats and dogs from the time Terry was old enough to slug him. She knew that most of his concern was for her safety. She also knew he thought of her as a liability. How many times did she have to prove herself? She already had a plan. Dress her up like a corporal and let her drive one of the cars. She knew how to wheel. She had been wheelman for Jake in New York several times. Not that Craig knew that. At least she didn’t think he did.


	5. Chapter 5

“Goniff, we need SS officers’ uniforms for Actor and me and lower rank for the rest of you,” instructed Garrison. “Chief, will take you in.”

“Goniff, do you think you can find something that fits me this time?” asked Actor with annoyance.

“Oh right, Mate,” shot back the pickpocket. “There’s a million blokes out there as tall as you. No problem.” He rolled his eyes. Terry met him at the door.

“Hey, Goniff,” she said quietly. “You think you could find one that fits me?”

“You want to wear a Kraut uniform?” asked Goniff dubiously.

Terry shrugged, “I’ll have to if I’m going in with you guys.”

Goniff doubted the Warden would let her go in with them, but he shrugged. “Sure, Love, I’ll find you one.”

The Englishman and Chief returned a couple hours later with bundles of uniforms. It was a bit before Goniff came inside. He sidled up to Terry and whispered to her.

“There’s a set of clothes for you outside the window to the bedroom.” He grinned. “And I found you a turtle hat.”

Terry grinned back at him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Great! That’ll look better than stuffing my hair down my collar!” She casually went into the bedroom. Locking the door behind her, she moved to the window and opened it. The uniform, boots and helmet were on the ground. She leaned over the sill and retrieved them. Quickly, she stripped and put the new clothes on. They smelled a little ripe and she wrinkled her nose. The blouse was a little tight across the chest, but then it hadn’t been made for someone with her ‘appendages.’ She now had a better appreciation of Actor’s grumbling about used clothes. Goniff had even thought to include a small length of twine to help her tie up her hair. With the auburn tresses knotted atop her head, she shoved the helmet down to cover as much of her hair as possible. Terry wished she had a mirror. She would just have to see what the reaction of the men was. Cautiously, she opened the door. Casino, Chief and Goniff were dressed. Actor and Garrison were putting the finishing touches on their officer’s uniforms. She slipped into the room and moved toward the two ‘officers.’ Goniff spotted her first and stared.

“Blimey, she looks better in that uniform than I do,” he said.

The other men turned around to stare at the young ‘man’. Maybe she could cajole them into accepting her. Terry moved next to Actor, standing haughtily beside the tall man. “Natűrlich,” she said. Terry plucked the riding crop from Actor’s hand and tapped it against the palm of her glove covered hand. “Vee are dee SS, Liebchen. Und nobody looks as gute as dee SS.” She slapped the crop lightly against Actor’s hard stomach. The con man looked down at her, unable to maintain his anger, the corner of his mouth turning up before he started laughing. 

Garrison shook his head at his sister but had to laugh too. “I don’t believe you,” he said. 

“It doesn’t work?” she asked disappointed.

Actor walked around her, tapping the riding crop against his hand now. He nodded. “Not bad. But it would not pass a close inspection.” He turned to the pickpocket. “Next time get her a slightly larger blouse and tunic.”

“’Ey,” objected the Englishman, “it ain’t my fault she’s got . . .” He stopped short.

“Knockers?” added Casino irreverently.

Craig fixed the safecracker with the Garrison glare.

“Okay,” said Terry easily, “next time get a bigger top or something for me to tie the knockers down with.”

Garrison was about to read the riot act to Casino but looked askance at his sister instead and rolled his eyes. “Get out of those clothes,” he instructed. “What do you expect to do in them?”

“Drive,” shot back Terry.

“No.” Craig turned to the others. “Actor and I are going to check out the compound. Try and stay out of trouble.” He looked at his sister. “All of you.”

Terry said nothing until the two men had left.

Casino eyed her up and down. “Good try, Babe, but you ain’t gonna get past the Warden and His Highness.”

Terry shook her head. She had to find a way. She was bound she would not be left behind. A tightlipped look on her face, she closed herself back in the bedroom to change out of the wool uniform.

Terry heard the fight start while she was in the bedroom. She stormed into the front room. Casino and Chief were going at it heavily. Goniff was backed into a corner between the two men, a large chair and the fireplace. As the fight closed in on him, he stepped back onto the raised hearth. Casino belted Chief, knocking the Indian into the chair, which in turn, knocked into the Englishman. Goniff would have maintained his balance, but the edge brick on the hearth gave way under his left foot. Ankle twisting with a crack, the pickpocket went down into the small space behind the chair, with a howl of pain.

With all the tension between her, her brother and Actor, Terry’s control broke along with her temper. Heedless of the consequences, she pushed her way between the two fighting men and strong armed them apart. Casino was too intent on reaching Chief to realize the girl was between them. He started to lash out with a fist and realized at the last second it was Terry he was about to hit. He pulled back with upraised fist. That was the last straw for the girl. She hooked a booted foot around his legs and neatly tipped the safecracker over to fall on his face on the floor. The next thing Casino knew was there was a knee in the small of his back and a switchblade at his throat.

“Now I have had it with you, Casino. You want a piece of me, then when I let you up, bring it on. I’m sure by now you’ve seen Craig fight down and dirty. He taught me. You got two choices now. You get up and try and take me or you get out that door and stand watch until Craig gets back!”

Casino was frozen to the spot. He had absolutely no idea how the young woman had gotten him to the floor, but he could tell by her voice and the sharp point of the blade pressed into his skin that she meant business. He had seen her angry before, but never like this. He kept silent. The knife retreated and the knee came off his back. When the woman stepped back, Casino slowly came to his feet. The green eyes that glared at him were the same dark as the Warden’s when he was angry. The safecracker darted a glance at Chief. The Indian was standing silent and tense on the balls of his feet with his arms out to the side, eyes on the back of Terry’s head. Casino held his hands away and slowly backed to the door. When it closed behind him, Terry slowly put the knife back in its wrist sheath.

She turned to Chief, who was watching her warily. “I’m not real happy with you either,” said Terry. “I know he started it, but you can’t seem to control yourself enough to ignore him.” A groan came from the corner of the room. “Help me get that chair off him,” Terry instructed the Indian.

They pulled the chair away and righted it out of the way. Goniff groaned again. “Me ankle’s broke.” The expression of pain on the man’s face and the way he was clutching his left shin told Terry he wasn’t exaggerating. She and Chief pulled the smaller man to his feet. Or at least one foot. He tried to bear weight on the left foot and howled, lifting it back up.

“Let’s get him into the bedroom on the bed and get that foot up,” said Terry.

She and Chief got Goniff’s arms around their shoulders and their arms around his waist. Practically lifting him, they hopped him into the bedroom. The Englishman collapsed on the bed with a moan. 

“I’ll get the aid kit,” said Chief quietly.

Terry nodded and started to unlace the shoe on the injured foot. Goniff watched her with apprehension. He had not been able to see what had happened, but what he heard made him wary. 

“I’m sorry, Terry,” he said.

Terry looked up at his face. Her expression softened. “Not your fault, Love. Let’s see what kind of damage we have.” She peeled the sock off and carefully felt the slightly swollen, already blackening ankle. Goniff let out a yelp. “Sorry, Goniff,” apologized the girl. “I would say it is broken. That’s not a sprain.”

Chief reentered the room with an aid kit. He set it down and held Goniff’s leg up at Terry’s instruction. She wrapped the ankle.

“I’ll let Actor splint it. He’s better at that than I am.”

An hour later, the staff car pulled into the yard in front of the cottage, its occupants silent. They had studied the compound around the Gestapo installation and did not like anything they had seen. This was going to be dangerous. As the two men got out of the car, Garrison was the first to see Casino. Both men stopped and stared at the strange look on the safecracker’s face as he approached.

“It’s my fault, Warden. I started it. Didn’t mean for the Limey to get hurt.”

What made Garrison more apprehensive was that Casino had come up to confess. “What happened?”

Casino shrugged. “Chief and I were fightin’.”

“How bad is Goniff injured?” asked Actor.

“I don’t know. Terry’s takin’ care of him. I been out here.”

“Get in the house!” ordered Garrison angrily.

“Uhn uh, Warden.” Casino shook his head and backed up, causing both men to stare at him. “I ain’t goin’ in there ‘til you tell me it’s safe. Your sister’s nuts!”

“Terry?” asked Craig, not understanding.

Casino nodded. “Thought she was gonna knife me. She had me cold.”

Aw shit, thought Craig. Just what he needed. Goniff down and Terry pitching another fit. He strode into the house with Actor behind him. Chief watched him, too quiet even for the Indian.”

“You tell me. What happened?” demanded Craig in a quiet voice.

Chief shook his head. “Casino and I got into a fight. It was an accident with Goniff. His ankle’s busted.”

Craig shook his head. What more could go wrong? “What about Terry?”

“Warden, I swear I ain’t never seen anything like that. I don’t know what she did. She had Casino on the floor with a knife to his throat. I was watchin’ her. She never used her hands.” Garrison knew he would have to explain it to the Indian. By the look on the man’s face, he was almost thinking it was some mystical thing. Chief openly said Terry was a medicine woman with powers.

“Where is she?” asked Craig with resignation.

Chief nodded toward the bedroom. Actor never asked. He just followed the lieutenant into the bedroom.

Terry was sitting on the bed beside Goniff. She came to her feet when the two men entered the room.

“I’m sorry, Craig,” she said. “With you two giving me grief just because I’m here, when they got to fighting, I just lost it.”

“How did you get Casino down?” asked Actor.

The brother and sister shared a look. “Savate?” asked Craig quietly.

Terry nodded. “He’s bigger than me. I couldn’t take him down any other way. Same as you when we ‘practiced’.”

“Savate?” asked Actor in surprise.

“Yeah,” was Craig’s only response. “How bad is he hurt?” Craig turned his attention to the pickpocket.

“It’s broke,” said Terry. She looked at Actor. “I didn’t try to splint it. You do it better than I do.”

Actor nodded and stepped forward to take over. When he was finished, the three of them left Goniff resting on the bed and went back into the front room.

“You can’t leave me here now,” said Terry, bracing for another fight with the two leaders. “And you sure can’t leave me and Goniff here. You need Casino inside with you. Chief drives your car. You still need two in the other car with the ‘prisoners’ to make it work. Goniff can’t work a clutch with that ankle. That leaves me. I’ll wheel the second car.”

“Warden, it is too dangerous!” objected Actor strenuously.

“It’s not your call, Actor!” said Terry firmly, trying to keep her frayed temper under control.

“Quiet!” Craig ordered his sister. He looked at his second. “She’s right. It’s not your call,” he reminded the con man in a voice only Actor and Terry could hear.

The tightlipped mouth of the Italian spoke of his attempt to maintain his frayed temper.

“I’ve got a uniform. I’ve got a helmet,” said Terry trying to reason with the men. “I don’t have to go inside. I just sit quiet behind the wheel and follow you in and out.” She turned her head to Actor. “You’re the great master of disguise. You can fix me up.” At his glare at her, she added quietly, “Or aren’t you good enough to make me look like a boy.”

Terry watched Actor’s eyes bulge in rage. His fists clenched and he fought to regain control of himself. He knew exactly what she was doing. She was trying to goad him with his own ego. He took a deep calming breath and let it out slowly. A tiny twitch of the corners of her mouth told him she knew what was going through his mind.

Craig turned his head. “Can you?” he asked as though it were a rhetorical question.

Actor bobbed his head in unhappy resignation.

GGGGG

Actor worked silently on Terry’s disguise. His lips were tight together. His mind wound on angrily. Why did she have to insist on coming along? It was too dangerous. Stubborn, obstinate woman! Why did she have to fight him and her brother every step of the way? Why could she not stay at home where she belonged? Even the mansion was better than doing this. A woman’s place was at home, taking care of the children and her husband’s needs. Of course, as independent as this woman was, she would probably never have a husband or children. Mio Dio, the woman wouldn’t even wear dresses unless she had to. Now she was in a German uniform of all things. What if she got herself killed? What if she got herself killed? With a mental shake of his head, he pushed that thought aside. He did not like where his thoughts were going with that one. As a result, his scowl became more pronounced.

Terry watched his face in frustration. He was angry with her. That much was obvious. God, why couldn’t she get the men to understand?

“Actor,” she said.

“What!” he spat back at her.

Oh, yes, he was mad. Terry tried to word things slowly and carefully and to prevent any prying ears from hearing, she spoke in Italian. “Do you know how difficult it is to hear that you all have gone on another mission? How hard it is to fight the worry until I hear you’re back. Do you know how hard it is to get that phone call from Craig or Joe or one of you that somebody has been hurt? And that’s practically every time you go out.” He shot a look at her and immediately concentrated on what he was doing. “I have taken care of every one of you, some more than once,” she continued. He opened his mouth and she cut him off before he could say anything. “I don’t begrudge any of you. I care about all of you. You too, caro, even when you are hateful.”

He gave her a sharp look. “When have I been hateful to you,” he asked. Actor turned back to applying darkening to her eyebrows.

“You’re pushing it now,” replied Terry. “What is it with you? I’m fine to play your mistress, but if I’m not doing that, then I’m in the way? I’m not woman enough to do anything else? Oh, but I forget, I’m not a woman to you. I’m a girl. And despite what you say, you seem to think I’m a stupid one at that. I can’t be made up to look like a soldier, sit quietly and drive a damn car without screwing it up? No, I’m just a big fat liability to you.” She didn’t realize she had just made it personal.

The look the con man gave her now was more calculating than angry. Oh, she was a woman. Of that he had no doubt. She had made that clear in London even though there had been no intimacy. Stupid? No. She absorbed knowledge like a sponge. Rather like him. And, he was forced to admit, she was very capable. If he was to be truthful to himself, Teresa reminded him of himself when he had just been starting out as a confidence man. What a thought . . .

“Actor, I can’t sit here waiting to see if you are going to come back. Not knowing what is happening to you. Not knowing how to find out if you all are alive, dead or captured. Not knowing what to do if something does happen. I don’t even know how to get myself back to England. I’d be dead within twenty-four hours. At least if I get killed with you, I’d be with Craig and friends.” She broke off and looked away.

Actor’s hands dropped and he set the can of boot blackening he was using on her eyebrows on the desk. With a shake of his head, he turned his eyes to watch her. She was looking away, the lower lip he had not worked on yet caught between her teeth.

“Don’t start crying,” he said in a milder voice. “You will ruin the makeup I have on you.”

“I’m not crying,” she replied defensively. “I made a promise to myself I will never cry over you.”

Merda, he swore to himself, without heat. Was he that much of a bully? At times, maybe. He reached fingers to turn her chin to face him. Her eyes looked stonily away.

In English, he said quietly, “Let us finish this. We must leave soon.” 

Actor put the finishing touches on Teresa’s face. The eyebrows had been darkened with a tiny bit of shoe blacking and made a bit thicker. The lips had been coated with foundation and powdered to cover the natural pinkness that was hers. Somehow, he had made her cheeks to have the faintest appearance of the start of peach fuzz. It was one of his better disguises. He braided the auburn hair up at the crown of her head and looped it with pins on top. There was nothing more he could do. He stepped back and closed his makeup kit.

Terry stood before him. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

He glared at her. “Do not thank me. I do not want those to be the last words I hear from you.”

Terry looked at him in surprise. That wasn’t what she had expected. He ignored her. Would she ever understand him? Probably not. “How about, if anything happens to me it won’t be your fault? Better?”

Actor eyed her, silently battling unfamiliar and unwanted emotions he was not sure he or the girl actually understood. “No,” he said trying to sound harsh. He picked up his case, turned and strode out the door.

Terry watched him go, her lips pursed together. With a big sigh, she followed him out.


	6. Chapter 6

Terry looked straight ahead and followed the lead car into the Gestapo compound. She was glad she had the uniform on even though she felt like the target at a turkey shoot. Goniff, beside her, was making nervous little movements, while looking straight ahead as she was. The young ‘soldier’ pulled the big car up behind the front staff car, but not too close, in front of the main building.

Casino got out of the front seat of the lead car and opened the door for Garrison and Actor. Somber and stiff, the safecracker followed the two officers into the building. They stopped in front of a lieutenant seated behind a desk in the hall. It never ceased to amaze the safecracker when he saw the lower ranked Krauts come to standing, apprehensive attention when finding themselves confronted with the tall, arrogant, dark haired SS officer and his slightly shorter blond junior officer.

“We are here to pick up Georg Krantz, his wife and son, to transport to Berlin for further interrogation,” spat Actor with just the right amount of disdain. The response he got was not what he was expecting. 

A confused look flashed across the German’s face to be replaced by one of fear. “I – I am sorry, Colonel, I must get Colonel Wagner for you.” He backed up and scurried down the hall to a door on the right, knocked and was given permission to enter.

Garrison and Actor exchanged furtive looks. This was not going as expected. They waited with seeming impatience. A moment later, a short, graying officer emerged from the office, a look of distrust and curiosity on his face.

“I am Col. Wagner,” he said.

“Col. Wagner,” acknowledged Actor. “I am Col. Klein and this is Major Kohler. We are here to take the prisoner, Georg Krantz and his family, to Berlin for questioning.”

Grumman raised an eyebrow and studied the tall SS officer with interest. “The SS was informed three days ago they were to be executed this morning.”

“That is absurd,” blustered Actor with the quick thinking he was famous for. “We left Berlin two days ago. No one informed us of this execution.”

The German colonel now eyed the three men with open distrust. “Let me see your papers.”

“We are SS! We do not need to show you our papers!” said Actor with arrogance.

Wagner reached for the telephone on the Lieutenant’s desk. “Then I will have to call headquarters in Berlin and verify what you say.”

Oh scheiβe, thought Garrison.

The three men worked together so well, they all drew their guns at the same time. Craig shot the colonel and Actor took out the lieutenant. The three men turned and ran for the door. Another office door opened and Casino shot the soldier who was emerging.  
“Casino! Go with Terry!” called Garrison.

Casino slammed out the door first and swung around the railing at the bottom of the steps. He ran to dive into the backseat of Terry’s car, behind Goniff. Actor and Craig had turned at the top of the steps to fire into the building at guards who had come running at the first shot.

Terry did not even consciously think about it. She took the point. Gunning the motor on the big car, she aimed for the gate, intent on clearing a way for the other car. Goniff was firing a schmeisser out his side. Casino was armed with a handgun and was using it. The guards at the gate moved to either side and opened fire. On whatever instinct, with her right hand, Terry picked up the schmeisser that was leaning against her right leg, aimed it across her body, resting it on the window frame, driving with her left hand, and opened fire. Two guards fell as she rammed the gate, shattering the wooden barrier and sending pieces of it flying. 

The second car, with Chief, Actor and Garrison barreled on through behind them. Chief peeled off down a different road, hoping to split up the two halftracks that were now pursuing them. Garrison and Actor turned in the seat and picked up two schmeissers that were on the floor to begin firing at the vehicle chasing them. Bullets raked across the front of the halftrack and the radiator blew. The vehicle came to a halt. Chief never slowed.

Farther down the road, Chief called back to Garrison. “Hey, Warden, at least now we know Terry can do it if she has to.”

“Do what?” asked Craig. He had been too occupied at the time to watch the girl.

“You sister took out two of them guards at the gate on her way out,” said Chief with obvious approval.

Craig looked at Actor. The con man shrugged. “It would appear she has been initiated,” the Italian said.

They drove farther down the road. At one point they passed a drive through sparse trees that led to a warehouse-type structure with large covered trucks. It was maybe a mile farther when a loud pop occurred. Garrison and Actor looked around quickly to see where the gunshot had come from.

“Blew a tire,” called back Chief in disgust. “Lousy Kraut cars.”

He eased the big car off the road and down into the ditch behind some tall shrubs. Chief cut the engine and the three sat in silence, listening for pursuing vehicles and only hearing the ticking of the radiator as it cooled. They climbed out and Garrison pulled the map out of his inside jacket pocket. Actor and Chief kept a lookout while Craig studied the map.

“One, we need to change vehicles,” said the lieutenant. “Two, we need to find Terry and the others. It should be a short walk through the woods here to where we’re supposed to meet.”

“That warehouse back there,” started Chief. “I can go boost a truck.”

“Okay,” said Craig. “Actor and I will cut across and find the others. Meet us at the rendezvous point. We’ll ditch the other car.”

Chief gave a nod and started at a trot across the road and disappeared into the underbrush. 

GGGGG

“Gimme the schmeisser,” yelled Casino.

Terry concentrating on her driving, attempted to hand the heavy machine gun over the back of the seat. She dodged a pothole and the gun slipped from her hand. Casino lunged over the back of the front seat and retrieved it. Terry tromped on the gas pedal, trying to outdistance the halftrack that was in pursuit. She swerved to avoid a bigger pothole and threw Casino off balance, so he fell on top of her. 

“Jeez, lady, who the hell taught you how to drive?”

“Want me to stop so you can get out and ride with them?” she threw back at him.

Casino and Goniff were both firing over the back of the car. Bullets from one of them shattered the windshield and hit the driver. The big heavy vehicle swerved to the left and ran at full speed into a tree. Terry didn’t stop until they got to the meeting place. They were the first ones there. She eased the car down a dirt track and pulled it into the woods.

“We gotta ditch this thing,” said Casino.

“I think it’s ditched, Mate” said Goniff.

Terry climbed out of the car and removed her helmet, pulling the tie from her hair and shaking it loose. Tossing the helmet on the front seat, she turned to the safecracker.

“What happened back there?” she asked.

“I don’t know. They were all talking Kraut,” Casino shook his head. “One minute we’re waitin’ for some colonel and next the Warden’s shootin’ the guy.”

“Well this sure turned into a mess,” said Goniff.

Terry started pacing. “Where are they?”

“Give ‘em time, Babe,” said Casino. “They took the long way.”

“Chiefy’ll get ‘em ‘ere,” added Goniff.

They waited a half hour. Finally, Terry heard a truck engine. Terry and Casino took cover behind the car. Goniff lay down on the seat. A large supply truck eased to a halt behind the car. The engine turned off and Chief climbed down. Terry and Casino stood up and Goniff peeked over the car door.

“Where’s Craig and Actor?” asked Terry with worry.

“Should be here soon,” drawled the Indian. “They cut through the woods. Least they got a head start. There was a truckload of Krauts found the car.”

“Where were you?” asked Terry, pulling the map back out.

Chief opened it and spread it on the hood of the car. He pointed to place on the other road. “’Bout here.”

They should be here by now thought Terry. She had a prickly feeling. The girl paid little attention as the two men helped Goniff into the back of the truck. Casino went around and took Chief’s place behind the wheel. The Englishman looked back for Terry but didn’t see her.

“Now where’d she go?” he asked. 

Chief stuck his head out the back. There was no sign of the woman.

Garrison and Actor stood together, hands raised, and knew with certainty they were about to die. The angry young soldier in front of them raised his machine gun. Suddenly, his back arched, a look of surprise on his face. Actor leaped forward to knock the gun aside. The man collapsed face down on the ground with a switchblade protruding from his back. Both men looked up, expecting to see Chief. Who they saw was Terry. Actor was quick to note the white-eyed look of shock on the girl’s face. In his mind, he swore in Italian, any anger he had remaining for the girl wiped away.

Craig did not seem to notice anything amiss as he sprinted toward the girl, grabbing her arm to pull her along, “Cut that one a little close didn’t you Sis?” he asked.

“Merda!” Actor pulled the knife from the soldier’s back, wiped the blood on the man’s tunic, closed it up and put it in his pocket. He sprinted for the truck. 

Craig still had a hand on Terry’s arm, pulling her along, not noticing that she had not said a word and was dragging behind a little. Reaching the truck, Actor grabbed her other arm and came to a halt. Craig kept going and they almost pulled the girl’s arms out of their sockets. She still said nothing.

Craig turned to see what was going on and found himself looking at Actor’s openly livid Italian countenance.

“She is going in the back with us,” Actor ordered.

Garrison looked at his sister for the first time and saw the pale, not quite focused look on her face. He immediately felt contrite but did not have time to deal with it. He let go of her arm and allowed Actor to pull her away. Used to the killing they were forced to do, distasteful as it was, he had forgotten about the effect that it would have on Terry, who didn’t even enjoy hunting for game at home. And shooting from a distance with a machine gun was even different from the close contact kill she had just made. No small wonder Actor was livid. He seemed to have adopted Terry as his own personal charge. Nothing to be done about it now, Craig climbed into the cab with Casino.

Actor reached the back of the truck. He grabbed Terry up and practically threw her up to a startled Chief, who caught her. Chief set her on her feet as Actor climbed in. The look on her face made him send a silent questioning look at Actor. The Italian gave a short silent shake of his head. 

Terry, more aware of her surroundings, moved to slide down to the floor with her back against the side of the truck. She stared in abject concentration at the toe of her boot.

Actor handed the switchblade to Chief and said in a quiet voice, “Take care of this for her.”

Chief silently opened the switchblade against his leg. He looked at the remnants of blood on it and suddenly understood. He didn’t know the particulars but apparently the girl had made her first kill with the knife.

Goniff, sitting on a crate at the back of the truck, looked at the knife, then at Terry and then Actor. Actor’s brooding eyes looked back at him. The cockney’s expressive face crumbled, and he turned back to keep watch on their tail. Better to let Actor deal with the situation. He was better at those sorts of things.

Only this time Actor wasn’t better at it. For once he was at a loss as to how to deal with it. It was instinctive for him to want to take care of the young woman, even though most of the time she did not wish to be taken care of. As the truck rumbled down the road, he hiked a hip up on a crate and watched Terry. She continued to maintain a study of her boot. Actor pulled out his pack of cigarettes and lit two. He stepped over and held one down to the girl. She took it from him without a word and pulled a long drag on it. The big man moved back to his seat and watched her.

Chief sat on another crate, cleaning and oiling the knife as he would his own. He watched her too.

Terry sat there calmly smoking the cigarette as though it was a perfectly natural thing for her to do, paying no mind that it was a strong French Gauloises. The hand tremors started slowly and had nothing to do with the nicotine. 

Actor still did not know what to do, but he had to do something. As he was about to rise, a hand on his shoulder stopped him. 

Chief stood up and walked over to squat down next to the girl. He took the cigarette from her fingers and put it out on the floor of the truck. Then he held the closed knife out to her. Her hand automatically reached for it, then stopped and she started to pull back. Chief caught her wrist in a firm, but not too tight grip and held it.

“Take it,” he said quietly.

She curled her fingers into her palm and tried to pull free. He held her arm still.

“You have to take it,” said Chief, softly and deliberately.

Terry finally looked at him. His black eyes bore into hers. Slowly her fingers opened. He placed the knife in her hand, releasing her wrist. She slipped the knife back into its sheath on her wrist. Chief took her wrist in his hand again.

“Talk to me,” he said softly.

Terry shook her head.

He tightened the grip on her wrist until she looked at him. Slowly he said, “Talk to me. You have to.”

She didn’t speak, but she didn’t pull away either.

“Who did you kill?” asked Chief.

There was a moment before she answered. “A soldier.”

Chief felt a stab of relief that she was talking and continued. “And why’d you kill the soldier?”

“He was about to kill Craig and Actor.”  
“And if you hadn’t killed the soldier, and he had killed the Warden and Actor, that woulda been all right?”

The memory of the terror she had felt before the knife left her hand, raced through her again. “No. . . God, no!”

There was emotion behind that response even though it was a whisper. Chief thought carefully about what to say next.

“You’ve seen me kill a bunch of times. Do you think I get pleasure out of it?”

Terry looked up at him. She had seen him kill. And she had seen the look on his face of regret and sorrow each time. “I know you don’t.”

“This is war. It ain’t right. It ain’t fair. There’s nothing good about it. But we have to do it. We’re a team. You are a big part of our team. We watch your back and you watch ours.” He took a breath. “You could pull out. You ain’t tied to us. But we’d lose an important part of us if you do.” He had her attention now. “It’s gonna happen again. Not maybe. It will. It ain’t gonna get any easier. You just have to learn to bury the feelings deep inside and either not take ‘em out or wait until there is a safe time to do it.”

“That how you deal with it?” she asked.

Chief nodded. Terry leaned forward and hesitantly put her arms around him. Uncharacteristically, he hugged her tightly. Whispering in her ear, he said, “Just remember, Little Sister, we all love you.”

Terry whispered back, “I love all of you too.”

“We know.”

She continued to hug him. The other two men watched in wonder. Chief didn’t like to be touched, let alone hugged. And that was the longest speech they had ever seen him make. With a shaky attempt at regaining herself, Terry pulled back to look at him, hands still on his shoulders. “Chief, I am not your little sister. I think I’m older than you.”

Chief grinned and said, “You are still Little Sister.”


	7. Chapter 7

Nothing was said about the botched mission until they were on the sub that was taking them back to England. Garrison was in a foul mood, as he always was when a mission went this badly. They sat at the metal table, five pair of eyes watching the lieutenant.

“All right,” said Actor. “What do you think happened, Warden?” The con man voiced the question on all of their minds.

“I don’t know,” replied Garrison. The fact that he didn’t know made him angrier.

“Who was behind this little screw up?” asked Casino. “Schaeffer?”

Craig shook his head. “Somebody new. A Col. Yates.” He rubbed a hand through his hair. “Maybe his intelligence was wrong.”

“Well somethin’ sure wasn’t right,” said Casino sourly. He was still upset they had not been able to save the child.

“So, who’s this Yates?” asked Chief.

Craig shook his head. “Somebody from the States.”

“Oh, right, then,” said Goniff. “A bleedin’ officer who probably’s never been in a bloomin’ war.”

Craig looked curiously at his sister. Terry was watching him. She seemed to be holding up okay. “You were in Washington. You ever hear of him?”

Terry shook her head. “If he was there, it wasn’t when I was. Don’t know him.”

“Well let us just hope we do not have to deal with him again,” said Actor. He had a feeling that was not going to be the case.

They separated and took their own spots to rest for the remainder of the trip. Craig sat down next to Terry. “You okay?” he asked.

Terry almost came back with a sarcastic response, until she saw the concern on her brother’s face. She nodded instead. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

Craig reached an arm out and pulled her to him. Terry leaned against his shoulder. At least now he was acting like a brother.

GGGGG

Late the following afternoon at the mansion, after they had all arisen from resting, Terry wandered into Craig’s office. He was working on trying to come up with some reasonable report on this little fiasco.

“Debrief me,” said Terry, taking a seat in front of Craig’s desk.

“What?” asked her brother in confusion.

“Debrief me,” she repeated. “I want to hear it. I want to know from the time we hit the gates going into that place to the time we got on the sub, what I did right and what I did wrong.”

Craig eyed her for a minute in silence. “You want Actor in on this too?”

“Why not,” shrugged Terry. “You both ganged up on me in France. As I said to Casino before, bring it on. You both think I’m useless. I am fully aware what each of us does affects the rest of the group. I want to know what I did wrong and how to fix it so I don’t do it again. And don’t tell me to go home. I’ll get back to France and join the Maquis before I go back to the States.” It was delivered quietly and unemotionally.

Garrison ran his hand through his hair and got up. Not answering her, he walked out to the common room. Actor looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

“Terry wants to debrief . . . with both of us.”

Actor set his book down and snubbed out his cigarette. “All right.”

The other three men watched them go in Garrison’s office and close the door.

“This isn’t going to be good,” said Goniff with a grimace. “They’ll try ‘n’ eat ‘er up.”

“Maybe not,” drawled Chief from his window seat beside the Englishman’s chair. “Might be this is what the three of ‘em need. Need to get it out in the open and fix it.”

“She can hold her own,” said Casino. “Hell, Goniff, you and I were with her. She didn’t really do nothin’ wrong. Yeah, she took off after the Warden and Actor, but the Indian does that too. And the bottom line is she saved their bacon. What’r’ they gonna do? Slap her hand and tell her that was a ‘no-no’?”

Craig sat in his chair behind his desk. Actor hiked a hip on the corner of the desk, facing Terry instead of the Lieutenant this time. Terry sat calmly and coolly eyed them both.

“Start,” said Craig, using his military bearing.

“Came through the gate behind your car. Didn’t look at any of the guards or acknowledge anybody. Just looked straight ahead. Parked behind your car, but not too close, so Chief and I had room to maneuver. Heard the shooting. Casino bailed into the back of my car. You two were stopped at the door shooting. Nobody was with you.” Terry focused on her brother. “Herd’s about to stampede. I was in a better position. I ran point." Actor frowned, understanding running the point, but not the herd reference. Terry continued. “We opened the way for you. Outside, you peeled off. I kept on going to the rendezvous place like I had been instructed. We got there, we waited. Chief showed up with a truck, we switched vehicles.” She turned her attention to her brother. “You’ve always known when I was in trouble. I’ve known when you were in trouble. Had that feeling. I couldn’t take the time to try to explain it to the others. I just went, like we always did for each other. Sorry, I wasn’t fast enough with the knife for you, Craig. I’ll work on that.” The last was said with a faint touch of sarcasm. “And I didn’t react well afterwards.”

“I believe that has already been addressed by Chief if I am not mistaken,” said Actor, watching her.

“It has and it still is. We’re talking.” The girl eyed both men. “Okay, your turn.”

“As a corporal driver,” acknowledged Actor, “You looked and acted the part.”

Craig picked up, “You scared the hell out of me taking the lead. Afterwards I realized what you were doing.”

“If I had been your driver and Chief was driving the other car, wouldn’t he have done the same thing?”

“Yes,” admitted Garrison. 

“Coming after us in the woods like that, alone and without a gun, was very dangerous, Teresa,” said Actor.

“And if I had waited?” she challenged him.

“We would both be dead,” he admitted readily. “And possibly the rest of you also.”

“Basically,” said Craig reluctantly, “you did what you should have done as one of the team.” He paused and asked her, “Suggestions?”

“Two,” said Terry to the surprise of both men. “First, I know both of you have hand weights. I clean your rooms. I want access and instruction on how to use them. I can throw fifty-pound feed sacks and three strand bales, but not one handed. I need to build up arm muscle.”

“You may use mine,” said Actor. “I will instruct you on the proper exercises.”

“What else,” asked Craig.

“I’m used to a .45 and I’ve had some instruction with a 9 mil. I’ve never used a machine gun until yesterday. Teach me how to use a schmeisser correctly. I got the job done, but it was sloppy.”

“You’re not going to give it up, are you?” said Craig.

“No.” Terry shook her head. “You ever known me to back down from something? And don’t tell me New York.”

“That subject is off limits and you know it,” replied Craig hotly. She just calmly stared at him. “Okay, I’ll teach you how to use everything we come in contact with. And from now on you will join the men for practice.” Craig eyed her. “Anything else?”

“Yeah,” said Terry. She looked back and forth between the two men. “Are both of you done giving me grief?”

Actor and Garrison exchanged looks. Craig turned a steady gaze to his sister with a tiny smile. “Probably not.”

Terry shook her head, got up and walked out. The three men in the common room were watching her.

“What?” she asked. “What was the bet this time?”

“No bet, Love,” said Goniff brightly.

She walked around behind Casino at the table with the intent on checking Goniff’s casted foot. The safecracker reached out and caught her hand.

“I still wanna know somethin’,” he said. “How’d you get me down like that?”

Terry grinned. They were still holding hands, so she tugged on his to get him to stand up.

“It’s leverage,” she said. “I’ll show you.” He looked at her dubiously and she laughed. “I won’t dump you, promise.”

She placed his right hand on the back of the chair and grasp his left upper arm with her left hand. They both looked down as Terry wrapped her right leg between and around his. She applied a little pressure and threw him off balance. He made a quick grab for her upper arm. Terry brought her foot back under her.

“Do that again,” said Chief, openly interested.

Casino nodded at her inquiring look. None of them noticed Actor come out of Garrison’s office. He stood back and watched. Casino kept a hold on Terry’s arm this time. The girl demonstrated again. “It’s not brute force,” she said, “it’s leverage.” She stepped back and released Casino. She did not see Actor step up behind her. It was the sudden frown on Casino’s face and his gaze going behind her that alerted her. She whirled as Actor’s arm swung around in an open-handed slap. It never landed. Terry’s arm flew up and blocked it. She could tell by the force behind his blow, he had no intention of striking her.

“Hey!” roared Casino.

“Actor!” yelled Chief.

Only Terry saw the gleam in the con man’s eyes, as he was the only one to see the answering gleam in hers. In a flash, she whirled around and stopped a kick just short of his kidney. An eyebrow raised before he tried to take her feet out from under her. She blocked. They danced, or it looked like they danced, with pulled blows and blocked kicks. Terry was ready to quit after a couple moves, but Actor would have none of it. With a wicked smile, Terry went after him. They flowed around each other. Actor got his leg around her ankle and flipped her, grabbing her arm to keep her from falling. She took advantage of his loss of concentration to land a stinging blow to his shin with her booted foot. He dropped her arm and she twirled on the ball of her foot, the right leg coming up in a sideways kick toward his head. He caught her ankle and held it in the air. Terry pivoted on her foot, so she faced him. They froze. Casino came to a stop to one side of them and Chief was on the other side. They watched. Terry and Actor grinned at each other. Terry moved her right leg to rest her ankle on his shoulder. His hand came down to slowly caress her thigh.

“Nice flexibility, cara,” he said seductively.

“Thank you,” she smiled back. “I try to keep that up. Does your leg hurt, caro?”

“Remind me to wear boots next time,” he said.

“If you two are going to continue, take it outside,” said Craig drolly from the doorway to his office.

“Oh, I believe we are finished,” said Actor. He looked at Terry. “Who taught you?”

“He did,” Terry nodded toward her brother who was leaning with crossed arms on the doorjamb.

Actor looked to Garrison while continuing to lightly rub the top of his sister’s thigh, rather like petting a dog. “Paris?”

“The summer before I entered the Point,” acknowledged Craig. “Paris?”

Actor shrugged, “Paris, Marseilles, Genova.”

“I think he’s better than us,” said Terry. She was becoming aware of his hand on her leg.

“I have not done it in a long time,” said Actor with false modesty. 

The palm of his hand never shifted from the top of her leg, but his long fingers stretched out so the tips ran down the inside of her thigh. Terry’s hand moved smoothly up to cover his and hold it still.

“I’m sure you must be out of practice,” she smiled back. “Can I have my leg back now?”

“Oh, by all means,” he said graciously, removing his hand from hers and reaching up to lift her ankle from his shoulder.

Terry stepped closer and said, “Thank you, Actor. I enjoyed that. It’s been a long time for me too.” She slipped her arms around his neck and stood on her toes to place a small kiss on the cheek away from her brother, quickly whispering an Italian word in his ear that cast doubts on his parentage.

“You are very welcome,” he replied. She did not want to be a girl, then he would show her she wasn’t one.

“So, what is that?” interrupted Casino. “I never seen nothin’ like that.”

Actor turned and walked over to his chair, trying almost successfully to hide a limp. “It is French kick boxing. It originated in Paris in the mid 1880’s. At that time, the hand was considered by law to be a deadly weapon. If you killed someone in a fight, it was considered murder. The feet were not weapons. So, the art of kick boxing was developed. It is still very much alive in Paris, Spain, and along the northwest shore of Italy. It is also developing into a prized martial arts form.” Actor for once gave the explanation without his usual tone of superiority.

“Looked like dancing,” said Casino.

“Yes,” said Actor. “But in some locations it can be very dirty.”

Craig went back into his office. It was just one more missing tidbit he would have to plug into Actor’s file.

Terry ambled over to the con man and reached down to rub the outside of his lower leg where it rested on the ottoman. “I got you a little hard there, didn’t I?”

“I’ll live,” said the Italian easily. He grinned at her. “My poor dear sweet little mother would not appreciate what you called me,” he said in a quiet voice.

“Poor dear sweet little mother, huh,” said Terry quietly. “You were hatched under a rock, caro. Or more likely a roulette table.”

“Whatever you wish, cara,” he agreed. If he told her about the palatial villa where he had been birthed, she would laugh herself silly. They all would. Nobody believed him, so he just kept it to himself.


	8. Chapter 8

Actor knocked on Garrison’s office door. He hated having to ask for permission to go anywhere off the estate. Craig told him to come in. Actor walked up to the desk and Garrison looked up at him.

“What can I do for you, Actor?”

“It is actually for your sister. You have allowed her to keep a share of the take we get from some of the missions. It wasn’t doing her any good sitting in a safe deposit box, so we assisted her in liquidating it. The bank in Brandonshire is adequate for small deposits. I think it would be in her best interest to deposit some of the money into an account in Coutts and set up some investments. Teresa is amenable to this idea. I have an account with Coutts. They have handled the Royal Family’s finances for centuries. I would be happy to assist her in setting up an account and some investment programs.”

“And you need a pass to London to take Terry there,” it was more of a statement than a question.

“If you do not have any objections to my assisting her in this matter.”

“These investments would be entirely legal?” asked Garrison pointedly.

“Assuredly.”

“Just when would you want to do this?” asked Craig.

“This afternoon if possible. The sooner we get something set up for her, the sooner she has access to money for her daily needs.  
”  
Craig looked at the con man. He wondered just how much the man knew about Terry’s financial state, or lack thereof. He got up and went to the door. Terry was sitting at the table patching clothing for the men.

“Terry, you okay with this?”

Terry looked up and smiled. “Yup.”

“Is this afternoon okay?”

“Sure, I’m up for a drive.”

The siblings exchanged a look. Terry knew Craig was unsure about anything with the con man. She smiled and nodded it was all right.

“Okay, I’ll write out a pass.”

Terry changed into a flowered long-sleeved dress and wedges. She took her heavy jacket and followed Actor out to the car. He held the passenger door for her and closed it behind her. Walking around the back of the car, he got in behind the wheel. He was dressed in his grey tweed suit and black shirt, conservative, but nice.

Terry sat back and enjoyed the ride. The trees were bare of leaves and there were patches of snow here and there. Though it was cold and gray outside, Actor had the heater keeping it toasty warm inside. Things had mellowed out between the two since the fouled up mission and they were enjoying each other’s company again. Terry had not tried to damage the con man further. Actor had made no more inappropriate moves on her.

They were approaching the outskirts of London when Actor reached inside his jacket pocket and extracted a large thick envelope. He reached over and handed it to Teresa. 

“It would be best if you put this in your purse and held on to it tightly.”

Terry opened the envelope and stared at the thick stack of bills inside. She started counting the pound notes. The final total floored her. She turned astonished eyes to the man beside her.

“Actor, did you pad this?” she demanded.

“No,” denied the man indignantly. “If this wasn’t wartime, the amount would have been larger.”

“You mean this is what Goniff got from ‘liquidating’ the jewelry?” She was incredulous.

“Yes,” said Actor. “It is all yours.”

Terry was stunned. “Does Craig know how much we’re getting off these takes?”

“I have no idea. He doesn’t ask and we don’t discuss it.”

“This can’t be legal,” hissed Terry to him.

He quirked a tiny smile. “Let’s just say, it’s not illegal. Do you wish to give it back to the Reich?”

Terry looked again at the money and cocked her head, placing the envelope securely in her purse.

Actor found her reaction to be amusing. The Garrisons had been financially comfortable at some point, but obviously not wealthy. If things continued as they had been with the safes and occasional museum heists the cons secretly participated in, the young woman would be rich by the end of the war. She did not have any idea of the amount of money she could potentially obtain. The amount in the envelope was miniscule compared to the amount the con man had of his own stashed away in various accounts, two of which were in Switzerland.

When he parked at the curb on Cadogan Place, he had to smother a laugh at the look on Terry’s face as she leaned forward to look out the windshield at the imposing edifice.

“That’s the bank?” she asked in surprise.

“Yes,” replied Actor. “Shall we go?”

They entered the imposing stone edifice. Upon seeing Actor, the bank manager hurried over to personally assist them. Actor explained they had come to open an account for his American niece. Terry almost choked on that one, but at least Actor had not made her his mistress. The bank manager escorted them to his office where Terry was ceremoniously seated in a chair next to Actor. It had taken control to keep from laughing when the bank manager had greeted Actor as ‘Count Mancini.’ The con man had nerve. She wondered if he even remembered what his real name was. They spent the next few hours setting up accounts and investments. Terry tried to keep up with the transactions Actor was making for her. In the end, she figured it wasn’t really her money in the first place and she just signed where the Italian told her to sign.

At five o’clock, Terry left the bank with a new account and investment plans, money in her pocket, and still bewilderment in her mind. Actor had suggested due to the late hour, that she get permission for dinner in London. She found a phone booth and called the mansion.

“Hey, Brother, we just got out of the bank,” she told Craig.

“It took you that long?” he asked in disbelief.

“Ask Goniff. This Coutts ain’t the Farmers and Stockmens in Great Falls. Listen, there are leftovers in the icebox. I know you know how to use the stove and the oven. You should be able to heat them up without any problem. Would it be all right if we got something to eat here before driving back?” Terry crossed her fingers.

“Who is paying?”

“Who do you think?” said Terry.

“Terry, this has got to stop.” said Craig with disapproval.

“He and I have had this conversation already. We reached a compromise. If it’s clothing for a mission, I will let him pick it out and pay for it. If he wants to buy me dinner, I’m okay with that. I am not accepting any money from him.”

“He offered you some?” asked Garrison.

“Yes. And he got it back. Now can I get something to eat? I’m hungry.”

“Okay,” sighed Garrison. “Just don’t let him take you anywhere fancy.”

“Craig, I’m not exactly dressed for the Savoy.”

He took her there anyway. Terry sat looking out the windshield at the elegantly massive building she knew by reputation only. She looked down at herself in the shirtwaist dress and cork wedged shoes.

“Actor, no,” she said firmly. “Take me to a pub somewhere. Not here. I’m not dressed for this.”

“You are not wearing pants for once, cara. What you have on is perfectly acceptable,” reassured the con man.

Terry spotted a woman getting out of the car ahead of them. She was dressed in a formal long dress with a fur stole around her shoulders. “Actor, I am not dressed like that.” They both watched the man in the tuxedo who emerged from the driver’s side.

“I am not dressed like that either,” said Actor nonchalantly. “They are most likely going to the theater or opera after this.”

“Actor . . .”

The con man smiled with amusement. “Teresa, when a gentleman offers to take you to the Savoy it is customary for you to accept the invitation and thank him graciously.”

Terry turned accusing eyes at him. “You are not a gentleman.”

Actor pulled the Packard forward as the valet took the car in front of them to the parking lot. He was stifling a smile. “Then we have you who must be insulting about it.”

A valet opened the door for Terry and held his hand out to assist her from the vehicle. She pasted a smile on her face and accepted the offered hand. Actor came around to the sidewalk and held his arm out to her. She tucked her hand inside his elbow. As they ambled slowly to the door, Actor tucked her hand in tight against him.

“Head up, you own the place, Darling,” he whispered.

Terry’s head and face turned into an expression of aristocracy. She whispered back, “Caro, I apologize. That was rude of me. Thank you. I accept your invitation and you are a gentleman.”

“At times.”

Terry laughed quietly. “You realize Craig is going to kill us. He told me nowhere expensive.”

“Teresa, it is not always necessary to inform the Lieutenant of everything.”

Actor found the experience delightfully amusing. Teresa acted as though this was old hat to her. It was the twinkle in her eye and the tiny grins she sent his way that told him this was a new and wonderful experience to her. She allowed him to order for them. He also got a bottle of excellent pinot noir. He subtly plied her with alcohol until she relaxed. At the end of the meal, he ordered a chocolate éclair to be split between the two of them.

“You like these things, don’t you,” asked Terry in between bites.

Actor gave an exaggerated sigh. “You have discovered my weakness, Little One.”

Terry laughed. “If half an éclair is your only weakness . . .” She glanced up at him. “Chocolate or vanilla?”

“Chocolate.”

“Vanilla.”

Sounds of an orchestra filtered through to them. Terry’s head came up with a smile. Actor grinned at her.

“They have a dance floor,” he said.

She looked at him, pleading. “We’re late already. Could we have one dance before we leave? Please?”

Maybe he had given her too much wine. He chuckled quietly. She was most definitely different from the formal stylish women he was used to. Nor did she have the forwardness of a Marilee. “Yes, cara, one dance.”

She didn’t have the shoes on for waltzing, but she managed. The happy contentment on her face made Actor keep her on the floor for one more dance. It was a slow one, not a waltz. Without the heels on, the top of her head only came an inch above his shoulder. It didn’t bother her any as he tucked her to him, her right arm around his back, her left hand held in his between them. When the music ended, he swore he heard a softly whispered ‘damn.’ Oh yes, she had definitely had too much wine. No matter, most of it would wear off by the time they reached the estate.

GGG

Craig leaned with crossed legs and crossed arms against the door frame to his office surveying his con man and his sister. It was midnight.

“Well, we had leftovers. And what did you have for supper?”

Terry smiled at her brother. “We had roast beef, some potatoes, cooked cabbage, and this really great popover thing.” She turned to Actor, “What was that?”

“Yorkshire Pudding,” he replied drolly.

Goniff burst out laughing. “Terry, you never ‘ad Yorkshire pudding before?”

“No, but I want to learn how to make it.”

Goniff was still laughing. “I’ll write me cousin, Annie, and see if she can send you directions. There’s no recipe to it.”

“Thanks, Goniff.”

Actor took a seat in his chair and started a pipe. Craig looked at him pointedly. “And how much did you give her to drink?”

“We split a bottle of pinot noir,” he replied. Noting the expression on the Lieutenant’s face, he added, “I drove.”

Later, after the Warden had gone upstairs, Goniff stumped up on his crutches to the Italian and asked, “So where did you take her to eat?”

“The Savoy,” replied Actor.

“Oh bloody ‘ell, Actor. I heard the Warden tell ‘er not to let you take ‘er anywhere fancy.”

“Why do you think we had ‘cooked cabbage’,” said the Italian with amusement.

Craig knocked lightly on Terry’s door. It opened a crack and his sister peered out at him. Seeing who it was, she opened the door and walked back to the bed. She was barefoot in her nightgown. Craig shut the door behind him, going to sit on the edge of the bed. Terry was sitting up against the headboard, watching him.

“So where did he take you?” asked Craig casually.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Some little place on a river.”

Craig had his suspicions of which river the ‘little place’ was on. “So, what did you do for five hours? You called me at five, you got back at midnight, it takes two hours to get here from London, so that would make it ten when you left.”

“We ate,” she said, “we talked, we drank, and they had a nice band so I asked him to dance.”

“Dance?” asked her brother, dubiously. “Don’t you dance with him enough on missions?”

Terry gave a little grin. “You want the truth, Brother. I don’t care who or what he is, or where we are, I could dance with that man forever. It’s not like dancing in ole’ man Weatherly’s barn on a Saturday night.”

“That always turns into a fight anyway,” chuckled Craig.

Terry nodded in agreement. “I know I’ve danced formally quite a bit in Washington at the parties with Dad. But those were usually a bunch of old men. When I dance with Actor, and it’s not on a mission, it’s like taking a break from reality. I feel . . . elegant, not like me. And I don’t have to worry about the war. I can just relax and feel the music and let him guide me around the dance floor. And I don’t have to worry about being hit on. He isn’t going to hit on me. I’m not his type of woman.”

“You sure about that?” asked Craig, half teasing.

Terry snorted. “Come on, Brother, we’ve both seen him operate. He likes them rich, sophisticated and experienced and older than me.” She didn’t mention Marilee. She just could not picture the aristocratic Actor frolicking with the pushy, energetic . . . snot. “Come on, Craig, let me have my fantasy. We are into so many bad things with this war, it gives it some balance. Even if it only lasts as long as a waltz.”

Craig knew the events of the last mission weighed heavily on the girl, though she tried to appear unfazed. He wasn’t sure that he trusted Actor completely, but so far it seemed the man was just being protective. Craig still wasn’t positive that something hadn’t happened between the two on that first trip to London, especially after finding out Crystal had spent the night in her own flat and not the hotel suite. But the two continued to deny it.

“Go to sleep,” said Craig. “I’m glad you had a nice time.”

“Thanks, Craig,” she replied with a smile.

Garrison turned her light off and let himself out her door. He was just in time to meet Actor coming up the stairs. The two eyed each other and Craig motioned the con man to his room. Actor followed him ready for the interrogation. 

Once inside Garrison’s room, Actor took a seat on the desk chair. Craig retrieved the hidden bottle of good brandy and two shot glasses from his armoire. Using the top of his dresser for a table, he poured two shots and handed one to the con man. They touched glasses and drank the brandy down.

“What did you wish to discuss, Warden?” asked Actor casually.

“You took her to the Savoy, didn’t you?” said Craig.

“Did she tell you that?”

“No,” replied Garrison. “But I know that’s where you tend to take your women.”

Actor was cautious. “Teresa does not fall into that category,” he said firmly. After a delay and a slight shrug he continued, “I was merely trying to build her confidence. I had the opportunity to introduce her to an upper-class establishment without her having to worry about maintaining a con, or being captured or shot.”

“Should I be worried about you?” Craig asked pointedly, not really ready to buy into the ‘building her confidence’ excuse . . . the scene between the two at the end of Terry’s little demonstration for Casino and Chief was still fresh in his mind.

“No,” replied the Italian just as pointedly. He sucked in his cheeks. “At the risk of sounding insulting to Teresa, your sister is not the type of woman that interests me. She is too young and naïve and has been too well brought up to even contemplate a casual relationship with a man. And at this stage of my life, I require nothing more from a woman.”

Craig nodded.

Actor rose and placed his glass next to the bottle on the dresser. “If you don’t mind, Lieutenant, I am fatigued and wish to retire for the night. Thank you for the brandy.”

“You’re welcome,” replied Craig. As the con man reached the door, Garrison said, “Actor, I know you are watching out for her. I do appreciate that. Terry can be a handful.”

“On that,” Actor pointed at finger at Garrison with a grin, “we can agree.”

Actor went down the hall to his room. He doubted the lieutenant believed the ‘confidence’ routine. Then again, he was not sure he believed it himself. He could not admit to himself that he did in fact enjoy the younger woman’s company.

At the same time, at the other end of the hall, Terry was curled up in her bed with just enough alcohol in her to allow her to examine her own feelings. She remembered the feel of Actor’s suit jacket covering a strong chest against her cheek and the faint scent of the man, at once comforting and sensuous. This led to another memory she quickly shut away of his fingertips gliding up her sensitive inner thigh. It hadn’t mattered she was wearing pants at the time. Oh she had definitely had too much to drink. She couldn’t help wondering though what it would be like to . . . . . and on that thought, she drifted off to sleep.


End file.
